


You're my only friend

by toomanystoriessolittletime



Category: John Wick (Movies)
Genre: Continental Hotel (John Wick), F/M, Friends to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:04:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21901960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toomanystoriessolittletime/pseuds/toomanystoriessolittletime
Summary: She’s known John for 10 years. Before he met Helen. And they meet again, after Helen died. And after he avenged the people who killed his dog, but before Santiano comes to find him.
Relationships: John Wick/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 31





	You're my only friend

When he walked in that day, Lauren could see the fresh cuts and bruises in his face. She hadn’t seen him in 5 years. Back when she worked here daily, he’d usually come by weekly. Refuel his car, one package of Lucky Strike’s. Sometimes he even bought a Mars bar.

10 years ago, when she started working at the gas station to earn herself some money while studying to become an accountant, he was one of the first customers who came by. He was wearing a black suit, with a black turtleneck. His hair had been shorter. He had looked like he came right out of a Ralph Lauren advert. Except for the black eye and the fresh cut on his left cheek.

Her boss George had told her that his name was John Wick and that he had bought the house on the hill the year before.

It was only a couple of weeks later, she had his usual package of cigarettes waiting for him, when he came in to pay, that he introduced himself with a little smile, thanking her.

Every time she saw him, he had another injury. Sometimes it was only his hands, that were bandaged. On other days, his face was full of cuts and bruises.

There was something dark about him. Something she couldn’t quite explain.

One night, she had just been dumped by her boyfriend a week before graduation, she had spotted him in a bar. It was the first time his face was unharmed since she first saw him. He was sitting at the end of the bar all by himself, drinking a scotch.

“So you do go out?” Lauren had sat down beside him. He turned in his seat, as he saw who sat down.

“Once or twice a year.” He had smirked.

“Must be my lucky day then.” She teased.

“Maybe.”

They had talked about their whole life’s in that night. He had tried to convince her that he was a book binder, and she had not believed a word he said. John had brought her home that night, to make sure she got there safe.

The weeks after that meeting he stayed for at least a coffee when he came by the gas station. He once told her that she was his only friend. She couldn’t quite believe it.

One night he told her about the women he met. Helen was her name. She could see in his eyes that something changed in him. And she couldn’t help the sadness that she had felt in that moment. She tried to be happy for him, to remind herself, that it would have never worked out for the two of them. She was to young.

The last time she saw him was on a Monday night, almost 5 years ago. He had looked like hell.

“Jesus John, what happened to you?” She walked to him, as soon as he had entered the gas station.

“Nothing. It’s nothing.” He had said.

“You look like someone ran you over with a car.”

“They did.” He had mumbled.

“Explain.” She had demanded. That’s when he had told her. Everything. About how he grew up. About what had happened. About what he did for a living.

“But that’s it. I’m out. I’m going to marry Helen.”

“You will?”

“If she says yes.”

“Then good luck.” She had smiled at him.

Lauren had left for her new job in New York City the next day, without saying goodbye.

John just wanted to get home. He had to process the last 2 weeks. Helen’s death. Daisy being killed by that fucker Iosef. His revenge on him. Head shaking, he looked over to the shop where his only friend used to work before she left without a word.

He still missed her. He could have needed someone to talk to in the last years. He had never told Helen about his life before her. She had never known, how exactly he had made his money before they met.

The only person outside of the underworld, that knew was her. Even if it was just for a day.

He knew that she worked as head of accounting in some huge PR Firm in New York City. But if she had wanted for him to know, she would have told him herself. He often wondered, if he did something wrong back in the day.

Walking through the familiar door of the gas station he reached for his money to pay.

“Fuel and cigarettes.” He said to the cashier.

“Which ones?” The cashier asked.

“He takes Lucky Strikes.” Someone called from the back office.

“Yeah…” John slowly confirmed the asking look of the cashier. John could hear mumbled talking from the back office, before the door completely opened and Lauren walked through, a hesitant smile on her face.

John looked at her dumbfolded for at least 15 seconds, before the cashier waved a hand in front of his face. Ah yes. He still had to pay.

After doing that, he walked over to Lauren, who was now standing by the door.

“Before you say anything, I’m sorry I just left. I thought it was easier that way.” She began, but John ignored her completely and hugged her tightly.

“I missed you.” He whispered in her ear.

“Missed you too.”

“I can’t believe I’ve never been here.” Lauren said, walking through John’s house. He had demanded her to come to his house for dinner. She hadn’t complained.

“You could have come over any time.”

“Before or after you told me you killed people for a living?” Lauren asked, walking into the kitchen, where John was cooking dinner. She never would have taken him for a guy who could cook.

“Any time.” He looked at her honestly.

Lauren hopped on the kitchen island eying his cooking.

“I thought you said you were finished? What about Helen?”

She could see him tense before he took a deep breath.

“Helen had cancer. She died 3 weeks ago.”

“I’m so so sorry John.” Lauren reached for his arm. He nodded and continued.

“She got a dog for me. It was delivered on the day of her funeral.”

“That dog?” The grey pitbull was laying to her feet.

“No. No it was a puppy. I only had her for 2 days before someone broke into my house, knocked me out and killed her. That someone also stole my car. So I did what I had to do.”

“Do I want to know?”

“I don’t think so. It’s over now.”

“You already said that years ago.”

John looked at her. Her eyes full of compassion. She had changed in the last years. Her hair was longer. She had a light scar above her right eyebrow, which hadn’t been there before. But her eyes where all the same.

“And I meant it. Like I mean it now.” John took the pot with noodles from the stove.

“But enough about my sad life. You still have to explain why you just left. And what are you doing now anyway?”

Lauren crossed her legs.

“I’m head of accounting at a big PR Firm in New York. I just got promoted 2 weeks ago and thought I could visit my family for a week, before I have to get back.”

“Congratulations.” John gave her a little smile.

“Thank you very much Mr. Wick.”

“You still didn’t answer the first question.”

She sighed as John came to stand in front of her.

“I thought we were friends.”

She couldn’t stop herself, as she reached to stroke his cheek. He looked at her surprised.

“Oh John. You really didn’t know, did you?” She smiled sadly at him. That’s when all the dots connected.

“Lauren…”

“No. No it’s okay. A lot has happened since then.” She winked at him and pushed herself off the kitchen island to go to the bathroom.

They had spent the following 2 days catching up, before Lauren had to go back to the city.

“I could drive you.”

“I have my own car.”

“Call me when you get home” He demanded.

“Yes Dad.” She laughed and kissed his cheek before she sat herself in her car, to drive back to New York.

John long stood outside of his house, her car long gone.

She had told him only a day ago, that she had been in love with him. That that was the reason she left all these years ago. He shook his head. She was almost 20 years younger than him. It couldn’t have worked. But why couldn’t he stop thinking about it?

The days were even longer than they used to be. Lauren was pretty sure her head would explode, if she would be forced to sit through one more meeting.

“Have a nice weekend Lauren. If I see you here this weekend, you’re fired.” Mr. Twickham, her boss said.

“That I wouldn’t risk. I’ll just type in the last numbers and then I have a hot date with the book I’ve been trying to finish since my vacation.”

“Have fun!” Mr. Twickham winked.

“Thanks.”

She made her way through the almost empty floor to her office. Her heels clicking on the floor. Pushing the door to her office open, she flicked on the lights and had to suppress a scream as her eyes met John’s bloody face.

“What happened to you?” She breathed and shut the door behind her.

“Complications at work.” His face twitched while he answered.

Head shaking she made her way over to him.

“It’s not my fault. They destroyed my house. It’s gone.” He groaned clutching his side.

She followed his movements and saw his bloody shirt.

“You need to go to a hospital.”

“I can’t.”

“Well what do you usually do, when something like this happens?” Lauren asked.

“The continental hotel. I go there. But I first had to see you.”

“Why?”

“Because if I had gone there immediately, someone would be dead right now, and my life would be over.”

Lauren stood head shaking in front of him.

“You’re an idiot Wick.” She went over to her desk, looking for her purse and coat, before she came back to him extending her hand to him. He looked at her asking.

“Come on. I’m getting you to that hotel, before you bleed all over my floor.”

All eyes were on them, as they entered the hotel. She would have to ask him, what kind of hotel this place was.

“I’m guessing you need to see the doctor Jonathan?” An older man came to stand in front of them.

“If you don’t want him to bleed out on the floor you better get on it.” Lauren rolled her eyes annoyed. The man smirked at her, before two other people came by to help get John to hopefully a doctor, which left her alone with the older man.

“I’m sorry I must have lost my manners. I’m Winston, the manager of this hotel.”

“I’m a friend of John’s” She introduced herself vague, before she spotted the blood on her coat. John’s blood. Winston must have sensed her unease, as he reached slowly for her arm, helping her out of the coat. He handed it to someone behind him.

“I’m guessing you want to wait for John. You can do that upstairs in his room. Let me take you there.”

She must have fallen asleep after Winston had brought her up. John’s dog had happily welcomed her, as she entered the room, crashing down on the bed. She turned her head to the side in the now dark room, seeing the familiar silhouette of John laying beside her in only his boxers. There was only a little light coming through the windows, but it was enough for her, to see the extent of his injuries. Old and new.

“Jesus Wick. Why are you doing this?” She whispered to herself, before she fell asleep again.

The smell of coffee waked her the next morning. Sleepily she opened her right eye to catch John’s next to her.

“You’re awake.” He was still laying next to her.

“Awake is not the right term for that. I smell coffee?” Lauren pushed herself up to sit and saw a whole breakfast on the table in front of the window.

Walking slowly she poured herself a cup and took a first sip. She heard a chuckle from the bed.

“I need caffeine for the conversation we are about to have. You want some too?” She asked him. He nodded, and tried to sit up.

“Stay.” She ordered and John sighed before he fell back on the bed.

The next 2 hours Lauren listened to everything that had happened after she left John almost 3 weeks ago. Apparently some Italian idiot had come for John and he had no choice but to do what he said. Which was killing his sister. Which resulted in him wanting John dead.

“When I kill him, there is no one left of his family, and I’d be free to do as I please.”

“But you didn’t do it.”

“I can’t do it here. That’s a rule.” Lauren nodded, not even asking any more questions.

“But I have to finish this. I have to…” Lauren kneeled in front of him on the bed.

“I know. But first you have to heal.”

“Thank you.” He said after a while.

“For what? I only brought you here.”

“You’re still my only friend.” He whispered. Lauren lay down next to him on her side. He turned himself so he was facing her.

“And I will continue to be your friend. And when you’re finished with all of this, you’ll know where to find me. But until then, be safe John.” She leaned in and wanted to kiss his cheek when he turned his face and her lips landed on his. She shrank back, as if she was electrified.

“I’m.. Sorry. I should go. Please be safe and stay alive.” Lauren jumped from the bed, putting her shoes on, and leaving John confused on the bed.

It was almost a half year later when there was a knock on her door. It was Sunday, and she hadn’t bothered putting on clothes and went to the door, only in a big old shirt.

She was waiting for her food to arrive, nobody else would come by at that time.

The money for her insanely big sushi order in her hand, she opened the door to be greeted with John standing there, a little suitcase next to him.

She blinked a couple of times, to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating. There were no bruises in his face and he looked healthy.

“John… What…” She didn’t get to continue, as he put his arms around her, and pushed her against the wall next to her door, his lips on hers. Her hands wandered into his hair and she couldn’t help the moan that made it’s way out of her. He bit her lip before he leaned his forehead on hers. Both of them trying to catch some air.

There was a light knock next to them on the door, that still stood open. John leaned to look outside, his hands not leaving her body.

A young man was standing there holding a bag.

“Sushi for 5D?” 


End file.
